Team of the Week: Rosy picture

OPINION: England became the second Northern Hemisphere team to send a strong message to their rivals south of the equator.

This past weekend England followed that up with a demolition of South Africa and Scotland came within minutes of an upset over Australia.

That all says that what was once a chasm between the two hemispheres has become a breachable divide - even though the All Blacks are clearly still the best team on the planet.

England, currently ranked second in the global standings, put down a big marker with their 37-21 thrashing of the Springboks - a result that earned them the bulk of the places in rugby365's famous weekly selection.

There are seven England players in our starting XV, followed by three from Scotland and two from New Zealand.

Canada, Ireland and Australia make up the numbers with one each.

There is a further reward for the All Blacks, who have seven players in our back-up squad - which also features three Frenchmen, two Wallabies and one each from Wales, Scotland and England.

Just one player returns from last week's selection - hooker Stephen Moore (Australia).

Team of the Week - November, Week Two

15 - Mike Brown (England):
Maybe the Springboks' kicking game was off-key and their defence rather porous, but Brown made them pay in no uncertain terms.Bubbling under: Scott Spedding (France)

14 - DTH van der Merwe (Canada):
He again showed he can more than hold his own against the best on the big stage, even when [playing for a minnow.Bubbling under: Israel Dagg (New Zealand)

13 - Huw Jones (Scotland):
He could not have asked for a better debut, scoring two tries and asking many questions of the Australian defence.Bubbling under: Remi Lamerat (France)

12 - Owen Farrell (England):
Showed there is more to playing at inside centre than just blindly running into the opposition.Bubbling under: Wesley Fofana (France)

11 - Jonny May (England):
This is a player who not so long ago thought his international career was over.Bubbling under: Waisake Naholo (New Zealand)

10 - George Ford (England):
He showed just how far he has progressed under thetutelage of Eddie Jones.Bubbling under: Aaron Cruden (New Zealand)

9 - Ben Youngs (England):
Another of the England players who have become 'world class' in the last year.Bubbling under: Tawera Kerr-Barlow (New Zealand)